Osinbajo’s new tribe

LAST Monday, while declaring open a five-day photo exhibition tagged ANISZA, in Abuja, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo spoke of the need to create a new tribe of Nigerians to help drive its unity and development. Here is what he said: “It is my respected view that to build a new Nigeria, we need a new tribe; one tribe of men and women of all faiths, of all tribes, of all ethnicities committed to a country run on high values; high values of integrity, of hard work, of justice and of love of country. A tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and exercise the self-constraint that is crucial for building a healthy society and who are prepared to stick together to fight injustice; to fight corruption; to insist on the rule of law; even when our friends are at the receiving end. A tribe consisting of professionals, of businessmen, of politicians, of students, of religious leaders and all who believe that a new Nigeria is possible.”

These are fine words; but like the British say, “fine words butter no parsnips.” On the surface, Prof Osinbajo can’t be more accurate in his observation of the country’s weaknesses and needs. But all the things he said are mere platitudes. What the country actually needs is to shift emphasis away from persons to structure. No building is so well maintained by persons, no matter how brilliant, if that building is not first made structurally sound. Nigerians must first restructure their country in line with sound political and economic principles before it can hope to unleash the people’s energies and talents. The major problem with Nigeria is first of all structural before it is people or tribe. The country must stop putting the cart before the horse.